By Eitan Beck, Seventh Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School at Chizuk Amuno Congregation
Many would agree that Deborah Steinig has been an exceptional teacher at Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation for the past 21 years.
Steinig teaches math, English and social studies to many middle school students, and almost every student who attends KSDS has been taught by her at one point or another.
“I grew up in Queens, New York, and later Long Island where I went to high school. I then attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, where I triple-majored in English, math and philosophy,” Steinig said.
Before coming to KSDS, Steinig taught at the Harley School in Rochester, New York, and at Friends School in Philadelphia. She taught both elementary and middle school students at these two schools.
Before deciding to teach, Steinig studied computer science in graduate school. “My favorite part was helping the undergrad students with the same subject, so I think that’s partly what sparked my interest in teaching,” she said.
According to Steinig, “The best part of teaching is how no two students are exactly the same.” She said she enjoys the unpredictability of teaching and the unique attributes each student brings to the classroom.
Even though it takes work, Steinig said that “there’s always laughter [in my classes], but there’s also a lot to keep track of, and occasionally I’ll forget to email back that one parent, or fall behind on grading that stack of quizzes. That can be challenging, but I think most jobs are like that.”
Steinig explains that “morning classes are usually better for lessons that will take a lot of concentration, like presenting new material.” During the afternoon hours, she plans more interactive activities, so the students are actively engaged.
When the pandemic hit, it was really hard for many teachers to learn how to transition to online learning. However, Google Classroom helped teachers check in on their students, and Steinig said she is particularly grateful for this.
“When I started teaching on Zoom, it was hard to learn how to do daily activities online, but I got used to it after a bit,” she said.
Jonah A., a fifth grade student in Steinig’s class, said that Steinig is a kind, and not very strict, teacher, Meanwhile, Maddie L., one of her seventh grade students, said, “I thought she was going to be really strict, but she’s actually a really nice teacher. She tries to make math as fun as possible.”
Outside of school, Steinig said she reads a lot and is a member of a book club. She also loves the outdoors and is very active in her local synagogue, Chevrei Tzedek.
Eitan Beck is a seventh grade student at the Krieger Schechter Day School at Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
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